New York, I Love You
by effyshort
Summary: Rachel Berry is on the way to make her big dream come true. She is in New York and just moved in with Kurt in Brooklyn. It seems so simple, right? Well, life is not simple, especially Rachel's life. From the moment, when she meets her neighbour, Dan Humphrey, everything changes.
1. The girl next door

This Saturday could have been as average as all the others in Dan Humphrey's life if he hadn't gone for a coffee in the morning. He didn't think that something unusual will happen because everything was usual as always. The sun was just rising and on the street there was that so-called 'early morning madness.' People were going to work, phoning and not caring about each other. As I said: usual as always.

He went back to the loft with a coffee and the newspaper in his hand. When he got to the building, a girl stood there already and tried to open the front door. Dan looked at her for a little time but he couldn't recognize her. 'Well, she maybe just moved in' thought.

'Hey, can I help you?' he asked. The girl slightly winced. 'Ehm, sorry for frightening you.'

'Oh, it's okay, no problem and you can help, of course.' The girl spoke surprisingly fast.

Dan opened the door with his own keys and said: 'It's a bit tricky, you know... You have to pull the door handle while you're opening the lock.'

'Thank you, I'll memorize this.' smiled the girl. 'I'm Rachel Berry, by the way.'

'Dan Humphrey. Nice to meet you.' smiled back. He held the door for Rachel and they went into the building. He pushed the button to call the elevator.

'You are a writer, am I right?' asked Rachel.

'Well, more like a wanna-be writer...' answered modestly.

'Don't be kidding! You wrote a bestseller!'

'Well... yeah... I did.' He didn't want to talk about this. If only he hadn't wrote that stupid book... He wanted to talk with his new acquaintance anything except that, so he tried to skip to another theme. 'And... what do you do in New York? Especially in Brooklyn?'

'I came here to study acting and singing. I wanna be a Broadway star as soon as possible.'

'Wow... confident.' thought Dan. 'And where are you from?' asked.

'I think, you don't know that place.'

'I'm good at Geography.' said with a smile.

'It's Lima, Ohio.'

'Okay, you got me' laughed.

'I said. Even the people in the next town ask 'what is Lima?'

They smiled a little at each other and stood in awkward silence. Luckily, the elevator came.

'Which floor?' asked Dan.

'Hm... I only live here for two days but... I think it's the fourteenth.'

'I live there too! You are the flatmate of Kurt, right?'

'Yes.' answered gladly. 'Do you know Kurt?'

'Well, yeah. When he moved in he went to me to introduce himself and asked for a hammer' laughed Dan. 'I helped him with the unpacking of the boxes as well. He has a very... unique taste. But he is very nice. He said a few days days ago that his best friend will move in too.'

'I didn't know that I'm Kurt's best friend' smiled Rachel.

'Well, it seems that.'

The awkward silence came again. Dan looked at the girl and tried not to stare her. 'She's very nice... and beautiful too. I should ask her out.' thought.

They reached the fourteenth floor and stepped out from the elevator. 'Ask her out. Ask!' shouted the voice in his head.

'We will see each other. Thanks for helping me with the door.' smiled Rachel and went to her loft.

'You're welcome.' answered Dan. 'Ask. Her. Out.' said the voice again. Rachel was just about stepping into. 'Hey, Rachel!'

'Yes?' the girl turned to him.

'Ehm... would you like to meet me later for a coffee... or something?'

'Yes, it would be great.' said gladly.

Both of them went into their loft and spent the rest of the day very happily for _no reason._


	2. Meals and Deals

When Rachel got back into the loft, she realized that she's alone. She didn't know where Kurt was but she wanted to tell him what happened. An hour later she almost called Kurt when the door opened.

'Rachel! I didn't expect you to get home so early.'

'Oh, Kurt, you won't believe what happened!' Rachel was almost jumping from the happiness.

'Then tell me, if you want.' smiled Kurt. 'But I think, you want.'

'Yes, of course, I want!' But the only thing Rachel did was smiling and smiling.

'Rachel... do. Tell me. The curiosity will kill me.'

'So... I met someone.'

'Who?'

'The guy next door. Dan.'

'Oh no... You... You just... Don't say that you like him.'

'Why?' Rachel couldn't understand this.

'Rachel. He's gay.' said Kurt slowly.

'What? No, no, no way! He can't be gay. Why do you think he is?'

'Well... you know, he's a writer. Have you read what he wrote?'

'Ehm... no. I didn't.'

'Then read. I have the book. It's about scandals, gossips and everything that normal, straight guys don't care about and...'

'Kurt, even if all these thing are true, then these don't make Dan gay. He... he's just a writer. And as the writers do, he writes.'

'How can you be so sure that he isn't gay?'

'He asked me out.'said Rachel with a huge smile on her face.

'And what will you do? What does he plan?'

'He said that we could go for a coffee or something like that.'

'He wants to make friends with you.'

'Well, for me, it sounded like an invitation for a date.' The stress was on he last two words.

'Gay guys don't date with girls.'

'Kurt, he's not gay.'

'I'll prove you.' Then without any explanations he went out through the door and slammed it.

Dan heard a knock on the door. 'Who the hell is looking for me on Sunday morning? Anyway... who the hell is looking for me?'

He went to the door and started the speech without even looking at the person who knocked.

'I know you hate me, I'm sorry for what I wrote about you and it's just a sto... Oh, hello, Kurt.' Dan was surprised. Kurt was the last person who he expected to stand there. 'This... you know, a lot of people hate me right now and...' he ran his fingers through his wild Saturday-morning-hair.

'Okay.' Kurt laughed a little. 'I just wanted to ask you that do you have any plans for tonight?'

'Well... according to the fact that everybody hates me... no, I don't think so.'

'So would you like to come round for dinner tonight? We will celebrate that Rachel is here. She mentioned that you met.'

'Yeah, okay. Sure. Rachel is very nice, by the way.'

Kurt smiled. 'Eight o'clock. You know where we live.'

'Yeah, I think, I'll find the place. Thanks for inviting me.'

'Of course.' Kurt turned around and went back to his loft.

'This dinner will be... interesting.' He didn't know but in the other flat Dan thought exactly the same thing.

'Where were you?' asked Rachel when he went back.

'At Dan's place.'

'What? Did you ask him that...'

'Well, actually I invited him to a dinner here for tonight, so we have to cook something... fabulous.'

'Kurt, it's so high-school. How do you want to find out that what does he prefer? Or _who_ does he prefer.' Then Rachel suddenly realized. 'You have a crush on him.'

'Well... no. Yes. I mean, no. There is Blaine in Lima and... no, I... I just don't.'

'Yes, yes, you do have!'

'Well... okay, maybe. But it does not mean anything. You know, my boyfriend, Blaine. That handsome, nice and caring boyfriend that I have. At home.' Kurt seemed sad.

'I'm sorry, Kurt' said Rachel.

'It's... It's just... We have to cook something. Remember, we except a somebody to dinner.' sang Kurt. 'And we have to find out _something really important_ about him.'

'Well, you know, something came up into my mind. It's better to make a betting. What will be the prize of the winner?' Rachel tried to cheer up him a little bit.'Hm... do you remember the old one we made about Blaine? Chocolate pancakes. Eat as many as you can and the loser will pay.'

'I'll get fat, Berry.' laughed Kurt.

_Spotted: For all the Humphery-fans out there: Lonely Boy is alive! After his book went number zero on the list, he just lost. But today in the early morning hours he was seen. And he wasn't alone, he was with a mystery girl. Maybe this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Or even more? Stay tuned, Upper East Siders, I'll get you the fresh and warm information ASAP. _

'What the hell...' That was the only thing that Dan could say when he saw the latest Gossip Girl blast.

He couldn't believe that somebody took a picture of them in that almost two seconds while they were standing at the door. There was nothing between Rachel and him – yet. The only thing he wanted is keeping that _nothing_ in secret.

But... why? He has nothing to lose. Neither his family, nor his friends. Even Blair hates him right now. The only thing that he could lose is Rachel but she isn't his yet. So he can win everything or lost nothing. Good deal, he thought and driven by a sudden idea, went to buy some red roses.


End file.
